Indeed it has been aeons since I last posted something on CaliBrew. Shame on me for letting down any audience I had left and for leaving my passion for craft beer laying in a vat full of trub!

A resurgence in my interest for beer has inspired me to get back to CaliBrew. As someone with a deep writing background, I see this as an opportunity to become more vocal in the social media sphere and to use my writing to express my ideas and opinions. And what better way to do this than sit down with a pint of...what did I try yesterday...Knee Deep Tanilla Porter...and bust out some good old fashioned prose!

That said, it's going to take more than just beer reviews and brewery trips to make this site work, which is why I'm also going to use CaliBrew as a means for expressing my love for food and for cooking. I'll do my best to relay this back to beer (for example, what beer would I enjoy my beer with?) and not make this a foodie-focused site only, but I believe that, since food and beer are integral in developing a culture, the ways in which we learn to appreciate them both are something I can articulate well. As a matter of fact, it's only fitting I link you to my Yelp page; I'm mostly reviewing eateries around the San Jose area, but I'm open to expanding to other venues should I travel and whatnot.

So cheers and bon appetit to all of you out there! I'll leave you with a little teaser for a pasta primavera recipe I put together. This recipe serves approximately three people: 

• 1/2 zucchini
• 1/2 squash
• 1.5 cups bowtie (farfalle) pasta
• a handful of cherry tomatoes
• 6-8 minced garlic / 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper

Begin with boiling your pasta for approximately 8-10 minutes. The pasta should be a little firm so that it holds its shape while it chills. Saute the vegetables, garlic, and spices in 1 tbsp of olive oil.

Combine with the pasta in a mixing bowl and add 1 tbsp olive oil, the balsamic, additional spices, and 1 to 2 tsp grated parmesan. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Serve with fresh basil leaves for presentation.